Box Score

NORFOLK, Va., March 6, 2018 – Four Rattlers scored in double figures on Tuesday, defeating No. 8 seed Howard 88-78 in men’s first-round action in the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Basketball Tournament at the Norfolk Scope Arena.
 
FAMU (9-24) will take on No. 1 seed Hampton in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
 
Elijah Mayes led the Rattlers with 27 points on 8-for-13 shooting and four made 3-pointers. Marcus Barham added 20 points and eight boards, while Desmond Williams added 17 points and Justin Ravenel poured in 14.
 
The Rattlers shot 50.0 percent (25-for-50) from the floor – including a 54.2 percent clip in the first half – and hit nine of their 14 3-pointers. Five of the seven threes FAMU took in the second half connected.
 
FAMU led 40-36 at the half.
 
Howard mounted a comeback early in the second half, thanks largely to the Bison shooting 53.1 percent (17-for-32) from the floor in the period. But foul trouble plagued the Bison, and FAMU took advantage to the tune of 19-for-22 from the line in the second half.
 
R.J. Cole, the MEAC Rookie of the Year, led Howard (10-23) with 25 points.